Christmas Eve
by RedandLizzie
Summary: Red contacts Lizzie on Christmas Eve.


**Christmas Eve**

**Summary:** Red contacts Lizzie on Christmas Eve.

**Notes: **I didn't participate in The Blacklist Secret Santa on tumblr as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to meet the timeline. I did finish this short contribution at lunch today and dedicate this ficlet to my followers. May each and every one of you have a joyful and blessed Christmas.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own The Blacklist or any of these wonderful characters. The brilliant Jon Bokenkamp and NBC do. This is a transformative work and no money is being made from this story.

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It was 8:10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Liz had just left the Post Office. She was supposed to meet Tom at a party across town but had neither the energy nor inclination to socialize. Instead, she found herself pulling into the parking lot of the Methodist church she passed every day. She had noticed the sign advertising their 9:00 p.m. candlelight service for the better part of two weeks, and had felt compelled to attend. She hadn't mentioned it to Tom though as the quiet niggling she felt every time she was around him continued to grow.

The moment she walked into the sanctuary, she felt a calm she hadn't known for a long time. Liz took an empty seat in the back and smiled as a little boy handed her a candle. She twisted the paper holder and remembered sitting on the pew next to Sam at her home church in Nebraska. Although she still felt strong in her faith, she had not attended services on a regular basis for a number of years.

The Christmas hymns and carols sung by the choir warmed her from the inside, and the brief message of Jesus' birth made her thankful for the blessings in her life. Toward the end of the service, as each person lit their candles, the pastor asked the congregation to remember someone who was not in attendance. Liz's first thought was of Raymond Reddington and the long ago Christmas Eve when he left his family. She had many questions about that day and was frustrated by the lack of information she found in the dossier Ressler had completed. She now strongly suspected there was more to the story. She prayed for Red's safety, his return, and for God to give him peace.

As she left the church she noticed a large man standing near her car with his hood up and thickly gloved hands. She was careful in her approach and made sure to circle from his side. The man turned and greeted her when he heard the crunching of the snow under her feet. "Agent Keen."

It took Liz a moment to recognize him. His full beard was thick. "Dembe, I didn't know it was you."

He handed her a cell phone. "It's a burner. Raymond would like to speak with you." Dembe looked at his watch. "He will be calling in twenty minutes."

As he walked away, Liz spoke loudly, "Thank you."

When he disappeared into the shadows, Liz climbed into her car. The roads were nearly empty and Liz made the rest of commute home in just over fifteen minutes. As she climbed the stairs toward her bedroom, the cell rung. She stopped moving and wiped her sweaty palm on her pant leg then took a deep breath before pulling the phone from her jacket pocket and answering, "Red?"

There was a pause and she could hear slight static then, "Lizzie."

The tears sprung to her eyes quickly and Liz turned and sat on the stairs, leaning against the railing. He could convey so much emotion by how he spoke her name. He didn't sound quite how she remembered and it troubled her. "Are you okay?"

"Christmas is a difficult time."

She heard the sadness in his voice and felt the tears sliding down her face in response. "Red, I'm sorry."

The tone of his voice changed and he sounded attentive as he spoke, "How are you?"

Liz felt a tightness in her chest. "I'm not... I want you to come back."

"That's not an option right now, but soon. Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Where's the husband?"

"He's out - at a party."

"And you're not?"

"I just got home. I went to church."

"I have to go."

She felt panic. "Wait, Red!" She didn't know what to say to convey her confused feelings and was afraid he would end the call. A few seconds later, the words rushed out of her mouth, "I need you to come back."

She heard his long breath of exhalation then, "Merry Christmas, Lizzie."

Liz continued to sit on the stairs for a long time then made her way to her bedroom. After removing her shoes, she laid down and pulled the comforter from Tom's side of the bed to cover herself. She felt so very cold. She drifted off to sleep saying another prayer for Raymond Reddington.


End file.
